Pilot Has Distance Question

[HapK]

Hey Gang. (Are we a gang?)

One Question:

Those of you that fly thousands of feet, miles, away from where you sit, does controller say "weak signal" and you just keep going, or do you not get that warning because there is nothing in the way?
I want to try it but a bit scared.
Thanks -
LK

 

[Rnl]

Can't fly without signal, I usually go till I have 2 bars, now my controller is boosted so full bars no battery.

 

[Former Member]

I want to try it but a bit scared.

That's your gut telling you that you are about to jeopardize losing your $1000 drone. When I get that feeling, I remember that discretion is the better part of valor.

 

[ftttu]

I haven't done a long distance flight in a while so I don't remember exactly, but this is or close to what happens. When you get way out there, you will see your signal weakening. Eventually, it will get to the point it loses contact first or your battery level reaches a level it wants to return home. You can still fly out past those instances when return to home is activated, but you are taking more of a risk. Return to home will get you home safely in most cases, but again, you are taking on more risk that there may not be enough juice for the return flight, especially if there is a headwind.

I went out about 200' less than 5 miles on my Phantom 4 and just 3 miles with my Mavic Pro. I returned to home with about 1 or 2 % battery on that P4 flight, but I can't remember what was left on the MP. I just remember I was concerned, but still got home safely.

Another way to do long distance flights where you have little to no signal or Litchi waypoint missions. You lay out a preprogramed mission on you device or computer, upload it to the drone and hit start. Off it goes on its mission as programmed. If it gets a low battery warning, return to home will activate during the mission and take a direct route home like other return to home activations. The downside to not having a connection during a mission is that your camera won't point at a point of interest at the angle you set.

 

[Former Member]

The downside to not having a connection during a mission is that your camera won't point at a point of interest at the angle you set.

The other downside is that you dont know where the heck your drone is lol

 

[RayOZ]

The downside to not having a connection during a mission is that your camera won't point at a point of interest at the angle you set.

The other downside of not having a connection is that if it crashes, you wont know where it is. You just realised it didnt come home when it's supposed to.

 

[ftttu]

This is neither here nor there, but if you are disconnected, you won't get full information from your flights on airdata.com. If I fly an 8 mile Litchi mission, airdata.com only shows full distance if I'm connected. I've flown way farther than airdata.com stats show because of that, but all I can do is cry about it.

 

[RomperStompr]

The other downside is that you dont know where the heck your drone is lol

That's a very false and misleading statement. You should know as well as everyone else that the go app shows you exactly where the drone is at.

 

[PolarBZ]

That's a very false and misleading statement. You should know as well as everyone else that the go app shows you exactly where the drone is at.

Your app will only show you where you're at if you have connectivity to the drone. As I understand it.

 

[Former Member]

That's a very false and misleading statement. You should know as well as everyone else that the go app shows you exactly where the drone is at.

I see that you just joined today, probably just so that you can make a negative, inaccurate and incorrect statement like that and not have it affect your other reputation. So welcome to Mavicpilots @RomperStompr (to whoever your alterego/alias/other username is).

My statement is neither false nor misleading. If you cant see your drone because you are outside of LOS and have no idea where your drone is, then YOU DONT KNOW WHERE YOUR DRONE IS.

As @PolarBZ has said, "Your app will only show you where you're at if you have connectivity to the drone. As I understand it." @PolarBZ understands it correctly.

@RomperStompr, you need to read the manual, spend some more time on this forum, and then go test your limits with your own drone instead of pointing fingers inaccurately at the people who know.

 

[motopokep]

Hey Gang. (Are we a gang?)

One Question:

Those of you that fly thousands of feet, miles, away from where you sit, does controller say "weak signal" and you just keep going, or do you not get that warning because there is nothing in the way?
I want to try it but a bit scared.
Thanks -
LK

Increase altitude to regain signal.

 

[turbodronepilot]

That's your gut telling you that you are about to jeopardize losing your $1000 drone. When I get that feeling, I remember that discretion is the better part of valor.

That gut feeling is why I fly.I get an adrenaline rush very similar to riding a wheelie on my motorcycle at over 120 mph.
I still get that rush after flying for few years and love it.

 

[Former Member]

That gut feeling is why I fly.I get an adrenaline rush very similar to riding a wheelie on my motorcycle at over 120 mph.
I still get that rush after flying for few years and love it.

By "gut feeling" I meant fear of something bad happening. The Mavic is a great drone for prosumer photography and recreational use. Pushing it beyond its specified limits is where people get into trouble, especially newbies. I get an adrenaline rush just by leaving the ground and then again when it lands. That's enough for me.

 

[Former Member]

Increase altitude to regain signal.

I think you cant gain altitude if you have lost signal. Maybe better to start out at a high altitude, then try.

 

[motopokep]

I think you cant gain altitude if you have lost signal. Maybe better to start out at a high altitude, then try.

oops, I meant when you get a weak signal, go up to regain better signal...I get "weak signal" or "signal interference" messages in red on top left when I go to far at inadequate altitude, so I go a bit up until the green GPS illuminates again.

 

[PolarBZ]

The other downside is that you dont know where the heck your drone is lol

How fortuitous that I run into this comment again, today. I just came to ask this question because I ran a Litchi Waypoint mission last night, outside of connectivity, and when it got back, I discovered that the gimble never executed the POI degree changes. I was sad. Do we know why it can execute waypoint turns, spins, and all that while not connected, but can't do gimble movements?